Imagine this.
A team made up of disparate individuals with selfish and disconnected goals.
A dysfunctional support network.
A hierarchy stuck in the past, unable to move forward or think beyond “this is how we’ve always done things”.
Leaders who blamed anyone and everyone rather than accepting responsibility.
And a customer base whilst demanding a top quality, receive poor service and a product that constantly lets them down, for years.
This was the England football team I grew up supporting. The team which would oft promise, yet ultimately, usually fail early.
Until Southgate, he of the blue waistcoat and big smile.
It didn’t happen overnight.
(Good) leaders need time to affect change.
And… it started with himself, following his own failures and public derision. It moved to developing a network around him and ultimately into the organisation he got to lead.
Imagine this:
A team made up of individuals who play for and with each other. Many of whom grew up together in training camps (set up by Southgate) as 16-year-olds.
A team that’s bought into a culture of winning, of consistency and isn’t scarred by past fears and failure.
A group that comes together away from their day jobs and is clearly united by a shared vision of success.
A leadership team which is full of experts from fields outside of football, who ask the challenging questions and bring topflight experience from rowing, cycling and the world of work. Elite performers building a culture of elite performance.
A leader who leads with dignity, presence and holds his hands up when he gets it wrong.
And the hardest part of all, turning a jaded, cynical often angry customer base into one filled with excitement, joy and hope.
Everyone, from the groundsman, coaches and sponsors with a shared vision.
No, Southgate didn’t achieve the goal England demanded. But let’s not forget the change he’s made, the foundations created and the hope he’s brought back.
England will win a major tournament soon. The leader in charge will get the credit. The Leader that is Southgate will stay in the background, flash those teeth and know, deep down, he played a part he should be proud of.
